1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a data processing apparatus and a data processing method.
2. Description of the Related Art
A data processing apparatus such as a so-called multifunction device or a uniting device including an open Application Program Interface (API) and an application platform that provides an execution environment for an application developed by using the API is known (see, Patent Document 1, for example). Hereinafter, the application platform is referred to as a “Software Development Kit platform” or “SDK platform” and the application is referred to as an “SDK application”.
For the SDK platform, an API for enabling the SDK application to provide a function similar to that provided by standard application is open to the public. Thus, it is possible to use a function via an operation screen different from the standard application but similar to that provided by the standard application. In other words, while basically using the standard application, an operation screen, different from the standard application, can be used.
In the conventional SDK platform, there is a merit in that new SDK application, implemented or developed by a third vender, a manufacturer, a software house or the like using the API of the SDK platform, can be additionally mounted on a data processing apparatus even after the data processing apparatus is shipped. However, in order to open the API that provides functions that are the same as those provided by the standard application, it is necessary to implement functions similar to those of the standard application to the SDK platform. Thus, implementations are overlapped between the SDK platform and the standard application and it is inefficient in the development or maintenance of the entirety of the data processing apparatus.
This problem is not limited to an embodiment of the SDK and is a common problem for an embodiment in which processes are performed by a device using application developed by open API.